Kolkata: In the light of the hijab controversy, Jadavpur University vice-chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee appealed to all university stakeholders to reaffirm JU's shared commitment to inter-faith harmony and the dignity of diversity, ensuring the conduct within and beyond the campus reflected the university's values.
Bhattacharjee wrote, "Founded on the ideals of learning, reason and public service, our university has long stood as a meeting ground for cultures, languages, beliefs and ideas... We urge every member of our community to articulate differences through dialogue, empathy and restraint, and to reject prejudice, provocation and misinformation in all forms. Academic freedom flourishes only in an environment of mutual respect..."
Some JU English students had on Dec 24 walked up onto the convocation stage, holding posters, saying, "No space for Islamophobia in JU", protesting against two UG 3 students being allegedly asked to remove their hijabs on suspicion of cheating by a professor. A probe panel was formed. The minorities commission suggested the professor should stay away from campus till the probe ended. —Dipawali Mitra